


You're a Fraud and You Know It

by rubyisms



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Detective Noir, Implied/Referenced Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 08:16:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12744495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubyisms/pseuds/rubyisms
Summary: “She’s bad news. Don’t let yourself get hooked.”Oh Qrow,Oz thought,if only you knew.





	You're a Fraud and You Know It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FandomLastsForever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLastsForever/gifts).



> So around September, I mentioned to Fandom how I wanted to do a prequel fic on Dark Paradise and how I think Ozpin and Cinder met. They gave the approval, a general timeline for me to know, and this fic was born as a result.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, Fandom!

_“I have nowhere else to go. I can’t go back to him- Please, help me, detective.” The mysterious woman who is in their office brushes the hair covering her left eye back. The bruises on that side of her face makes their eyes widen, and they can see the black eye over her eye is fresh._

_“I..” They’re hesitating and she moves forward, tears falling down her face. “I’ll see what I can do for you, Miss Fall.”_

Ozpin didn’t know what to expect the day they opened their office to find a mysterious woman who had somehow broken in without tampering with the windows or breaking the lock. They didn’t know what to expect when she begged them to help her escape an abusive past relationship.

But they still did what they did best, and helped her out. Cinder Fall was now employed at Junior’s lounge as a singer and performer. They were a regular of The Three Bears, along with their partner Qrow, so it wasn’t unusual for them to show up on days she was performing. Sometimes, they wondered if she did it on purpose, especially with the way she sang and spoke to him with her songs and movements.

But they just kept their head down and drank the special of the night. Whatever this relationship was, they wanted to keep it strictly professional.

-

It’s not long before people learn of the new singer, and it’s not long before rumors start to spread about her and where she came from.

 _“I heard she killed her husband and made off with his fortune to support her drug habit!”_  
  
_“Really? They said she killed her husband and in-laws in a house fire!”_  
  
_“Oh, that’s nothing! She supposedly started a fire as a child that was responsible for her parents dying!”_  
  
Ozpin has heard every possible variation of every rumor about her. They’re sitting at the bar, swishing and swirling the mixed alcohol in their glass. Their confusion must be obvious because there’s a chuckle from a familiar person behind the bar.

“Alright, old timer.” Junior is polishing a glass with a playful smile, “What’s on your mind?”

“... That obvious?” They slowly set their glass down, ignoring the playful jab at their age.

“You don’t play with your drink unless you have something on your mind.” He points out, setting the glass down, “What’s going on, Oz?”

Ozpin pauses and swallows, “Do you ever do something, with your heart in the right place, but time goes on, and you hear things that may put your career and reputation on the line?”

Junior stares at Ozpin, silence between them for a moment. Then Junior sighs and takes the glass he’d been polishing again. “She’s in her dressing room.. But don’t tell her I sent you.”

“How did you-” They're grabbing their cane and hat, but quickly change their mind, “-never mind. Thanks, Hei. Put it on my tab.” Without looking back, Ozpin walks towards the backstage area where Cinder’s dressing room was, intent on confronting her.

They needed answers.

-

“Are they true?” They’re slamming the door to her dressing room open and Cinder jumps, startled at the noise. She’s dressed in her civilian attire, her performance outfit hung up for the night. Slowly, her hand lowers the mascara brush she had been using back to the vanity table.

“I’m.. sorry?” She asks, laughing to herself, “Mx. Ozpin, is everything alright-”

“The rumors!” They snap, “The rumors about you and everything you’ve done before you came here! Are they true? Because if word gets around I helped out a murderer-!” They cut themself off and balls their hands into fists at their sides.

As Ozpin struggles to calm themself, she gets up from her chair, slowly approaching them. Her words are soft and gentle, but there’s a bit of emotion in her voice that she’s obviously trying to hide.

"You're a detective. You follow your gut instinct, and ignore rumors that don't feel right. So tell me, when you opened your office door one evening to a young woman, battered and bruised and crying, was the first thing that entered your mind was 'She must be faking it for attention?' Or were you genuinely concerned for her?" Their eyes widen slightly at that, remembering the day they met. The way she had bruises around her neck, on her face, and the way she sobbed and pleaded for him to help her. Still, his reputation was on the line, and Cinder had proven herself to be quite the liar when needed to be.

“I just want the story- Your story.” They get out through gritted teeth, taking deep breaths still to calm themself. Cinder’s face hardens and Ozpin sees the anger in her eyes.

"You want my story, detective?” Cinder snarls, snapping her fingers at them, “Then fine. Picture a young, optimistic girl who wants nothing more than to go to the city and make it big as a lounge singer. So she practices, and her mother and father are her audience. That little girl eventually is orphaned and left in the care of a wicked woman who envies her beauty and talent. When that girl is old enough, the wicked woman marries her off to an older man, who abuses and mistreats the girl."  
  
"Miss Fall-" The shame and embarrassment they feel now for accusing her of lying has begun to set in.  
  
"And that girl still holds onto her dream. Luck finally falls in her favor and she gets away, coming to the first person everyone says will help in the city. That person was you."

Cinder’s bottom lip is quivering and she takes a few deep breaths to calm herself and the shakiness of her hands. A tense moment passes before she finally meets their eyes again.

"One day, Mx. Ozpin, you'll take on a much bigger case than what you work now. Everyone will say you're in over your head- to leave it to the professionals. When that day arrives, I only hope you remember what you've learned here today…” Her eye contact with them is broken as she walks past to grab her coat from the coat rack and head for the door. “Otherwise, you'll be trapped in an endless game, chasing your tail."

She’s gone with that. Ozpin is left there, dumbstruck at her words and feeling more and more like a fool with every minute that passes.

-

They’re in the middle of thinking out a way to apologize when Qrow walks in the apartment. “Ah, Qrow..” they drop the pen from the card they’d been writing an apology out on and smiles, “how was the trip?”

“Long, boring, and exhausting.” He grumbles, taking his coat and hat off at the door, “I could go for a drink right now.”

“At The Three Bears?”  
  
“Of course.” Qrow smiles and walks over, setting his suitcase on the couch. It doesn’t take long before he spots the card and pen on their desk. “So what are you doing here?”

“I..” They pause to try and hide the card and what they’ve written, “It’s nothing to concern yourself with. Just a card for Miss Fall.”

The silence becomes so tense and thick, Ozpin swears they could hear a pin drop. Qrow’s shock is hidden well, and it’s only when he speaks, Ozpin realizes he’s struggling to keep his emotions in check.

“The lounge singer?” There’s a pause for Ozpin to answer and they give a tiny nod, “Ozpin, you don’t want to get mixed in with that girl.”

Qrow’s picking up the suitcase and walks by Ozpin to go to his room and unpack. As he passes by, he’s still speaking, giving Ozpin a warning. “She’s bad news. Don’t let yourself get hooked.”

As they watch their longtime friend and partner go unpack, Ozpin can't help but chuckle at his warning to themself.

 _Oh Qrow,_ Oz thought, _if only you knew._

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!


End file.
